Diagnosis and management bronchopleural fistula

The diagnosis and management of bronchopleural fistula (BPF) remain a major therapeutic challenge for clinicians. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis and localisation of BPF is sometimes difficult and may require multiple imaging and bronchoscopies. Successful management of a fistula is combined with treatment of the associated empyema cavity. The first step, therefore, should be control of active infection and adequate drainage of the hemithorax. When deemed required, definitive surgical repair should be accomplished expeditiously, minimising the number of procedures performed. In cases of a small fistula or where the surgical risk is high, various bronchoscopic methods have been used to close the fistula. When treatment is protracted, secondary complications are more likely and survival is adversely affected. In this article, approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of BPF are discussed, with particular emphasis on bronchoscopic management options.